Lagos inaugurates committees on Lekki Free Trade Zone Project

The Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Lola Akande, has inaugurated the Epe Lagoon and Lekki Coastal Resettlement Committees.

The committees will resettle the individuals and families affected by the Lekki Free Zone Project.

Akande made this known at the opening remarks of the swearing-in ceremony of the committees in Lagos on Tuesday adding that they were to serve for two years.

The commissioner noted that the composition of the Executive Committee of Epe Lagoon would made up of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives as the Chairman, Mr Segun Agbaje as the Vice Chairman and Director of Industry as Secretary.

She added that the composition of the Executive Committee of Lekki Coastal would be made up of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives as the Chairman, Mr Olu Falade as the Vice Chairman and Director of Commerce as the Secretary.

The commissioner said within the first three months of their inauguration, the committees were expected to provide a timetable of their activities.

She noted that all the provisions in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) should be adhered to strictly, to prevent the fundamental misapplication of roles and functions of the respective institutions.

Akande explained that the primary role of the resettlement committees was to set out the content and process for resettling and compensating the affected individuals and families within the host community.

She said: “It is important to state that this newly reconstituted resettlement committee will work in strict compliance with the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“This is to mitigate any maladministration of the resettlement land. Importantly, unauthorised land sales are prohibited and this will attract legal sanction for individuals found complicit in the practice.

“They are to take up roles and obligations that have been set out in their respective Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and elaborated by key executive committee.

“These obligations are the planning, designing, monitoring and evaluating the resettlement of individuals and families affected by the Lekki free Zone Project; maintaining peace, law and order in the communities.

“They will serve as the primary point of contact between members of the communities and the state government for all enquiries relating to the project and necessary requests.

“Further operational directives will be developed by each of the resettlement committee and be submitted to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives for effective communication and guidance.”

The commissioner noted that the existing bank account operated by the previous community associations whose tenure expired in November 2019 will cease to exist.

According to her, a new bank account is to be opened for the resettlement committee to enable them to start on a clean slate.

Akande added that the signatories to the account would be the chairman, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, the Vice Chairman from each of the Resettlement Committees and the Treasurer.

She said they were to hold forth on behalf of the state government.

Akande thanked them for being part of this swearing-in of members of the resettlement committees, wishing the new executive members a successful and rewarding tenure, free of rancour and community upheavals.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agbaje was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Epe Lagoon resettlement committee while other members are Akeem Adegbesan, Temilola Abiodun, Oludare Agunbiade, Nimota Seriki.

Prince Olu Falade, appointed the Vice Chairman, for the Lekki Coastal resettlement committee while others are Mr Atolani Alogba, Salabiru Jimoh, Chief J. K. Keshinro, Toheed Nolla and Sabiatu Adams.